Folding box



y 9 J. F. CONWAY 2,469,497

FOLDING BOX Filed Aug. 25, 1945 2 Shqets-Sheet 1 27 FIG-I 2 27 [-76.2

36 3 INVENTOR $2640 4. W07,

GM M W ATTORNEY J. F. CONWAY May 10, 1949.

FOLDING BOX 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 25, 1945 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented May. 10, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 James F. Conwf: n :e J., aasignor, by

assignments, to National Folding Box Company, Incorporated, a corporation of Connccticnt Application August 25, 1945, Serial No. 612,537

1 Claim.

This invention relates to folding boxes and provides an improved carton for radio tubes, light bulbs and similar articles.

The improved carton according to this invention may be made from a single piece of paperboard, cardboard or other foldable sheet material, requires a minimum of stock, may be prefabricated in the form of a flat collapsed tubular structure and may be easily expanded into hollow carton form when needed. One of the principal features of the improved carton is its convenient, quick locking end structure which will lock in carton closed position without additional securing operations such as gluing or stapling or riveting.

The various objects, features and advantages of this invention will appear more fully from the detailed description that follows accompanied by drawings showing for the purpose of illustration preferred embodiments of this invention. The invention also consists in certain new and original features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Although the characteristic features of this invention which are believed to be novel will be particularly pointed out in the claim appended hereto, the invention itself, its objects and advantages and the manner in which it may be carried out may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming apart thereof in which,

Fig. l is a plan view of a blank from which an improved radio tube carton embodying features of this invention may be formed, the inside surface of the blank facing the observer;

Fig. 2 shows the blank of Fig. 1 after initial folding and gluing operations resulting in the formation of a collapsed flat tubular structure;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an expanded filled and closed carton set up from the blank shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section through the carton shown in Fig. 3, a section being taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a flat blank from which a radio carton of modified form may be made, the inside surface of the blank facing the observer;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a collapsed fiat tubular structure made from the blank shown in Fig. 5; and

Fig. '7 is a vertical cross section through a filled and closed carton set up from a blank shown in Fig. 6.

In the following description and in the claims, various details will be identified by specific names for convenience. The names, however, are intended to be as generic in their application as the art will permit. Like reference characters refer to like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of, the specification, certain specific disclosure of the invention is made for the purpose of explanation but it is understood that the details may be modified in various respects without departure from the broad aspects of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, the blank A shown in Fig. 1 may be cut and scored in multiple from rolls or sheets of cardboard, paperboard or other suitable foldable sheet material on automatic cutting and scoring machines' Only one side of the blank need be imprinted or otherwise decoratively finished since only one side of the carton blank appears as the outside of the finished carton.

Side walls H, l2, l3 and it and a terminal glue flap i5 are hingedly connected along fold lines l6, l1, l8 and I3. A pair of connecting panels 20 and 2| is hingedly connected to the side wall ll along fold lines 22 and 23. An end panel 24 is hingedly connected to the connecting panel 20 along the fold line 25. The end panel 24 has flaps or tabs 26, 21 and 28 connected to it along fold lines 23, 30 and 3|. An aperture 32 may be provided in the end panel to accommodate the top ofa radio tube to be housed therein.

A similar end panel 33 is hingedly connected to the connecting panel 2| along a fold line 34. Flaps or tabs 35, 36 and 31 are hingedly connected to the side edges of the end panel 33 along fold lines 38, 39 and 40. An aperture ll is provided in the end panel 33 to permit 'the prongs at the base of a radio tube to project through the bottom of the finished carton.

A pair of turned-in flaps l2 and 43 are hingedly connected to the side wall panel I3 along fold lines 44 and 35 and similar flaps may-be provided at the ends of the remaining side walls l2 and I4, but are dispensable, and are not shown for that reason.

The blank A may be formed into a fiat collapsed tubular structure by a few simple folding and securing operations. In the preforming of the tubular structure the turned-in flaps 42 and 43 are infolded about the fold lines ll and 43 to overlie the inside surface of the side wall l3. The flaps l2 and 43 may be secured in the inturned position by staples 43 and .41 afllxed closely adjacent the fold lines 44 and 45 respectively or by a narrow strip of adhesive. Adhesive is then applied to the outside surface of the terminal glue fiap l at a and the blank is folded about the fold lines I3 and I3 to bring the inside surface of the side wall I4 over the inside surface of the side wall l3 and to bring the side wall I into adhesive engagement with the glue fiap I5 to which it adheres.

The resulting structure-A is shown in Fig. 2.

In its collapsed state the blank A requires little space and may be stored and shipped to the ultimate users in collapsed condition. It is available for immediate use or filling and may be completed into hollow carton form and filled by a few simple operations which will now be described.

Pressure applied againstthe fold lines l3 and I3 squares the blank A into hollow container form which is reinforced by infolding of one end panel, for example the bottom panel 33. In inserting the bottom panel 33 into the space formed by the four side walls l2, I3 and I4, the hinged I flaps 35, 33 and 31 are folded about their respective fold lines 33, 33 and 43. In inserting the panel 33 the flap 33 moves past the outer edge of the turned-in flap 43 and interlocks therewith, thereby maintaining and locking the panel 33 in position. The remaining flaps 3'5 and 31 reinforce the bottom panel 33 and prevent buckling of the panel.

A tube 48 may then be inserted into the carton and the top of the carton may then be closed in a similar manner. In the closing of the carton top the hinged flaps 26, 21, and 23 are folded about .their respective fold lines 23, 33 and 3| and the end panel 24 is then inserted into the space between the side walls II, l2, l3 and I4. The carton top panel 24 is locked in carton closed position by the flap 21 which interlocks with the turned in flap 42 and is reinforced by the upturned side flaps 26 and 23. The complete filled and closed carton A" is shown in Figs. 3 and 4. It is rigid and sturdy and affords equally good protection for radio tubes as cartons of more complicated and far more expemive construction. It offers the added feature that it may be quickly closed and locked without need of sealing, stapling or riveting operations conventionally employed after filling and closing of conventional cartons.

A modified form of blank is shown in Fig. 5. The blank B comprises side walls 43, 53, 5 I 52 and a. terminal glue fiap'53 hingedly connected along fold lines 54, 55, 56 and 51.

A pair of connecting panels 53 and 53 is hingedly connected to the side wall 53 along fold lines 60 and 6|. An end panel 32 is hingedly connected to the connecting panel 23 along a fold line 63. The end panel 62 has flaps 65, 65 and 66 connected to it along foldlines 31, 63 and 63.v The fold line 63 is interrupted by a out line I3 defining a lock tab 1| integral with the end panel 32 adapted to project beyond the fold line 33 when the flap 65 is folded. Similar cut lines may be provided along the fold lines 61 and 63 to provide additional lock tabs along the side edges of the panel 62. However, one lock tab is usually sufficient, and for reason of simplification of the drawing, additional lock tabs along the side edges of the end panel 62 are not shown.

An aperture 12 may be provided in the end panel 62 through which the top of a radio tube may project. A similar end panel 13 is hingedly connected tothe connecting panel 53 along a fold line 14. Flaps 15, I3 and II are hingedly connected to the side edges of the end panel II along terrupted by a cut line 3| defining a lock tab 32 integral with the end panel I3 and adapted to project beyond the fold line I3 when the fiap I6 is folded. It is understood that similar additional cut lines may be provided to interrupt the fold lines I3 and 33 to provide additional lateral lock tabs. The end panel "has an aperture 33 to permit the prongs at the base of the radio tube to projectthrough the bottom panel of the finished carton.

A'pair of lock flaps 34 and 35 having outer edges 83 and 31 are hingedly connected to the side wall panel 52 along fold lines 83 and 33, and additional similar flaps may be provided at the ends of the remaining side wall panels 43 and 5| in the. event additional lateral lock tabs are provided on the end panels.

The blank 3 may be formed into a flat collapsed tubular structure by a few simple folding operations. In the preforming of the tubular structure adhesive a is first applied to the underside. of the terminal glue flap 53 and the blank is then folded about the fold lines 53 and 54 to bring the inside surface of the side wall 52 over the inside surface of the side wall 5| and to bring the side wall 43 into adhesive engagement with the glue fiap 53 to which it adheres.

The resulting structure is shown in Fig. 2. The blank B requires little space and may be shipped and stored in collapsed condition. It is available for immediate use and may be completed into hollow carton form by a few simple operations which will now be described.

The blank B may be squared by pressure applied against the fold lines 54 and 56. The bottom of the'carton may then be formed in the following manner. The lock flap 35 is infolded first about the fold line 33 and the bottom panel 13 is then infolded by folding it and its connecting panel 53 about the fold lines 14 and 3|, and by folding the flaps 15, I6 and II about their respective fold lines 13, I3 and 33. After insertion of the bottom panel I3 the flaps 15, I6 and II lie parallel with. the side walls 5|, 52 and 43 of the carton and the lock tab 32 engages and interlocks-with the edge 31 of the lock flap 35. The flap I6 holds the lock flap in folded position.

A tube 33 may then be inserted into the partially completed carton to rest with its base on the bottom panel 13.

The top of the carton may' then be closed by inserting the top panel 62 in a similar manner. In its infolded position the top panel 32 rests against the top of the tube. Its lock tab 'I| rests against the edge 36 of the lock flap 84 past which it moves during the closing operation. The flap 65 overlies the lock flap 34 and maintains it in infolded position. The lateral flaps 64 and 66 rest against the respective side walls 5| and 4| and reinforce the top panel 62 against buckling.

The carton is preferably so dimensioned that a small amount of force is required for closing the top and moving the lock tab 32 beyond the looking edge 36 of the lock flap34. So dimensioned the tube urges the lock tabs II and 32 against the respective locking edges 36 and 81 of the lock flaps 34 and 35, whereby the carton is kept securely locked and the tube is prevented from rattling inside the carton.

Thus the invention provides a simple inexpensive and efficient carton for the packaging of radio tubes. The carton requires only aminimum of stock, and the operations required for its forming and filling are extremely simple.

Obviously the present invention is not restricted to the particular embodiments or the details described and illustrated. Various changes, modifications, additions, omissions and substitutions may be made without departing from the essence of the invention.

What is claimed is:

A one piece radio carton comprising, enclosin side walls, and end structures for closing the ends of the carton, said end structures comprising, a connecting flap hingedly connected to one of the side walls; an end panel hingedly connected along one of its edges to said connecting flap; flaps hingedly connected along the other edges of said end panel; a lock tab integral with said end panel, said lock tab being cut out from at least' REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the v file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 9 1,039,026 Carter Sept. 17, 1912 1,301,161 Ohara Apr. 22, 1919 1,865,268 Morris June 28, 1932 

